Tag: play time

I love playing with my 19 month old son. Sometimes, he’s more entertained by a cartoon than he is by me, but for the most part, he really enjoys to play. And when he gets a new toy? All the better. Watching the wheels turning in his head as he figures out how a new toy works is amazing to see. How truly astonishing it is to see these tiny beings start life unable to hold their own heads up, to being able to walk and run and play within such a short time.

So, as a family on a budget, I try to get him new toys every once in awhile so that we don’t break the bank. I love toys that are educational or sensory, and toys that are also sturdy and for a decent price. That’s where B. toys come in! B. toys is an award winning company, and their toys are coveted by parents for a reason: they truly are phenomenal. My experience with B. toys up to this point has been entirely positive. With Christmas creeping up pretty quickly already (I saw stockings out yesterday), I wanted to start giving parents some ideas for their little ones!

So let me start with a few of the basic “must haves.”

My son’s first B. toy set was the “One Two Squeeze” block set. This was one of his first gifts as a little guy. While he was really little at the time, he liked to chew on them (and everything else he could get his hands on). As he grew, he started to stack them and knock them over. Each one is numbered and a different color, and they also have sculpted animals and shapes. These remain one of his favorites to play with. Such a simple and fun toy, and he can sit and stack them and knock them over for a great length of time. Price: $10-$15, depending on where you purchase them.

A few months back, I purchased the “Alpha B. Tical” puzzle set. This helps children learn the alphabet, colors and sorting. Each letter block fits into a coordinating space. The spaces each have a photo that aligns with the letter. I remember having puzzles like this when I was little, so perhaps I was being nostalgic when I was purchased it. My son is a bit too young to truly get the hang of his ABC’s, but there’s no harm in starting early! And his sorting skills are pretty fantastic. Price: $15-$18.

My son is obsessed with toys that can be pulled along behind him on a string. So obsessive, that it’s a daily occurrence in our home for us all to be walking in circles for an hour with a puppy on a string. It’s probably his favorite activity and I’m not stopping him because it’s great for his physical activity (and mine). Up to this point, we’ve only had two drag-along dogs. I won’t mention the brand, but each of them is excessively obnoxious. One squeaks and the other is both loud against our wood flooring, in addition to it barking and singing as we go in circles. So when I discovered B. toys the “Happy Go Puppy,” I was incredibly anxious to give it a go. Their drag along dog is not electronic (a huge plus for me, no excess noise, no batteries), and the wheels have a rubber rim that allows for fairly quiet dragging. The string is the perfect length for a little one. My son initially had some issues dragging the puppy along without tipping it over, but he quickly got the hang of it and actually chooses this puppy over his other two loud ones (thank you, B. toys for saving some of my sanity). Price: around $10.

The “Bouncy Boing Bizzi” is super fun. This bumble bee jumper keeps my hyper guy entertained. He likes to carry it around from room to room. I’m not sure why he’s so entertained by the stinger on the bee’s rear end, but the whole toy cracks me up. It’s a great exaggeration of a bumble bee and seeing my toddler jump around on it is entertaining. The bee comes with a pump and it took a minute or two to get it blown up. The bee is extremely durable and seems to stand up rather well to even pretty rough play. It’s an adorable design and a great addition to our play room.

And last but not least, my very favorite, the “Zany Zoo” activity cube. I kid you not, I played with this activity cube for hours with my little guy when it first arrived. There is so much on this cube that he was enthralled by each new activity. All four sides have different activities that require coordination and intent. The top is a combination of movable animals and wooden blocks that glide back and forth. In the world we live in where it seems like “screen time” is the go-to activity, seeing my son so completely engaged with this wooden toy really made my heart happy. This activity cube is thought out so incredibly well. Each activity is engaging, but the level of detail is meticulous and well-planned. The corners of the cube and the small wooden doors are even rounded off to avoid nasty cuts and bruises should your little one fall. Price: $50-$75. And make sure you click through these photos to see each of the sides and features of the cube!

I could not be more pleased with B. toys. These are toys that are durable and can be passed down from generation to generation. Thank you to B. toys for creating such thoughtful toys to engage our little ones!

**BurritoBuzz received some of these products at low or no cost for the purpose of review or testing. No compensation for a positive review was provided. All product reviews are based 100% off of our personal experiences and we never guarantee a positive review.**

We try to focus on non-electronic play frequently because C will literally sit and do the shape sorter game on his iPad all day if I let him. So anything that moves, makes noise, helps his motor skills, hand eye coordination or just stimulates his little toddler brain, is okay by me!

I received the Wonky Wheels from PlaSmart and it took C less than 30 seconds to figure it out! I told him to put his finger in the indention on top and then drive it around! He laughed and giggled the entire time while the car twisted and turned all over the kitchen floor. He was thrilled that it drove in circles and whichever way he pushed, it did something completely different. He got quite upset when it wouldn’t follow the roads on his car mat, but we quickly explained to him that it’s not supposed to!

The construction is very solid and well put together. He carries it with him almost everywhere and we have had no issues with it being dropped and breaking or paint chipping or peeling off.

It runs about $9.99, which seems like an ideal price point. Overall, Wonky Wheels are fabulous little toys. They would make a good addition to any little boy or girl’s birthday or holiday wish list!

**Burrito Buzz received this product at low or no cost for the purpose of review or testing. No compensation for a positive review was provided. All product reviews are based 100% off of our personal experiences and we never guarantee a positive review.**